Disappearing stairway



Nov. 28, 1933. F, E BEssLER DISAPPEARING sfrAmwAY 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 26,

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ATTORNEYS Nov. 28, 1933. F, E. BEssLER 1,936,930

DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY Filed oct. 26,1952 5 sheets-sheet 2 Se v INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 28, 1933. F. E. BEssLER DISAPPEARING sTAIRwAY Filed Oct. 2". 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Frank E Bessler ATTORNEYS a. mmuwrn. ...i @w

Patented Nov. l28, 1933 Y UNITED ASrl-griES PATENT-ff@FRISE ,f'Di'sAPPEARING srainwrnzV i E'YBesslerQkAkron, l(this), assigner to ".:lh'e Besslerv` Disappearing Stairway Company, l .y A Akron, Ohio, ar'eorporation .of-Ohio" 1 l" l 'Application oetobe 26,1932. serial Np. 639,638? 's claims. (c1- eze-5er v This invention relates to disappearing 'stairways of theY ceiling panel type, n Y

Heretoiore stairways of this typefhave Aenh ployed control mechanismincluding one or -rnore l spring drums, sheaves, etc., ,which arefurnished 1 by the ,manufacturer toi-be located by the purchaser on or adjacent to the frame of the ceiling opening through which the stairway operates. This requires some degree of skill on the partei the purchaser in installing thestairvvay so that the several Vparts ofthe control mechanism willl function properly. In many cases installations are poorly made, resulting in early and frequent breakage of cables, spring drums, etc. Y

The general purpose of the invention is to provide a stairway constructionin which all of the parts of the control mechanism are carried upon some part of the stairway construction as fur-r nished by the manufacturer with the exception of two small brackets attached onor adjacent to the frame of the opening for securing the ends of the flexible tapes or the like by-which the stairway iscontrolled, brackets which do not require `more than ordinary skill in'placement, the balance of the parts including all spring drums etc. being located by the manufacturer on the stairway parts furnished by him. Y

A further purpose 'of the invention is to provide a simplied and less expensive disappearing stairway construction with a' minimum of 'parts and these of simpler, more economical construction. Y

The foregoing andother purposes of the in'- vention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular form thereof shown and described.

Of the accompanying drawings, y f- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing avstairway installation embodying the invention inran extended position for use;

Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly in section,

on line 2 2 of 'Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section,` showing the stairway retracted whennot in use;l

and

Figure 4 is a section in part along lline 4 4 of Figure 1. f

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 i' designates a frame defining a ceiling opening upon one end of which is hinged, as at 11, a panel 12. Above the hinged end ofthe panel there is provided a bracket or brackets 13 secured tothe end of frame 10 and having pivoted thereon supporting and guiding bracket A14 of` aknown constructionhavinglugs-,as atjlf--ior engaging l grooves 1 6fon `the outer sideshofthe stair struc-k ture k1'7` to slidablysupport the stair structuregon Y said pivotedbrafcket. 1, vAdjacent the freer-endetthefuppersde panel 'at Aeach side thereof there al?? l affixed brackets 18, 18havingswiveled lugs j1,9,-19 cfa' known constructiony lforengaging in grooves ,1 6-

vslidablyto support the stair structure onthe'free end of thepanellz.- y, V. .i L, L ,65 The weight of;theextendedstairstructure 1'7A i is off-set by provision of a spring-rewindingfdrum V,20 of a known construction on the under side of i .v Y bracket 14 from which is extended one endof a iiexible tape 21 ,wound about said ,drum andhaving its other endsecured, thereto, the extended .end of said tape being securedto the stair structure as at 22. y i v `To off-set kthe weightof the panel and stair: Waystructure when the latter is'retracted there-` V ,7'5

von and to hold rthe panel shut, spring-.rewindingl drums 23' are mounted at each side ofthe freek end ofthe panel preferably on', brackets 18 andV exible tapes 2424 wound on said f drums and havingtheir inner ends secured thereto are extended from said drums to brackets 25, 25 adapted to be 'secured to each side of the frame 10. vThe weight of the stair structure and panel'when the latter is extended as shown in Figure 1v is suiiil cient 'to overcome thel rewindingj force` of the :85

springdrums 23. When the weight ofthe upper ,portion of the stair structure -is effective on the opposite sides of the pivotsof brackets 11i-upon retraction of the stairway; the spring drums 23 Y then becomeefective to swing the panel 12 shut-i90` ycarrying the stairstructure` up through the ceilf ing yopening to its retracted position' shown` in i f FigureB. v g The stair structure is preferably latchedi inits retracted position on the panel by latchesl 26 en- 95 gaging keepers l27 as the Vstairway isfretracted'. Y The vparticular latching arrangement shownr isv illustrated in detail in the United States patent roo to Bessler,`No. 1,636,281, granted ,'July 19, 19,2'7.` .s To operate the stairway from xthe position 'shown' in4 Figure Y:3V to the position shown in-Figures l and 2, the vpanel 12 is first swung downwardly. 'This is accomplished from'zthe lower, floor by pulling down the lpanel'from below,

being provided for thisy purpose. i The panel may be openedrfrom-the upper door by liftingathe upper end of the stair structure.

. Y a 7105 vchain 12a depending from the panel preferably u ','I'he stairway is then extended by'pulling it .down from the 110 y,

i control mechanism.

Modications o1 the invention may be resorted to without departing from the' spirit thereof or the scope of the appendedL claims.

What is claimed isz- 1. A disappearing stairway comprising a panel adapted to be hinged to one end of a frame defining a ceiling opening,

end of the frame above the panel `hinge, brackets secured at each side of the panel adjacent the free end thereof, a stairstructure slidable on sai-d piv'otedbifaclzet and on said brackets on the panel, aspring-revvindingk drumrsecured to said pivoted bracket and having ka tape wound thereon and connected withfsaid stair structure, spring-rewinding drums one secured at each .side

of the panel on` s aid brackets adjacent the yfree end thereof, and brackets one adapted 'to be secured at each side of saidframe, said last-named Vsp'ring-rewinding drums having tapes wound thereon and extended to said brackets.

2. The combination inadisappearing stairway n K l a stairway supportingV bracket adapted to be pivotally mounted on said installation of a frame deningia ceiling open- Y ing, a panel hinged at one end to the frame, a support pivoted to said end of theframe above the panel, a port, means adjacent the free end of the panel slidably supporting the stair structure thereon, a spring-rewinding drum on said pivoted support having `a flexiblerelement Wound thereon f and extended and secured to said stair structure,

and spring-rewinding drums one at each side or" the free. ends ofthe panel on said lsupporting stair structure slidable on said supmeans and having flexible elements Wound thereon and extended and secured to said frame.

3. vThe combination ina disappearing stairway installation of a frame dening a. ceiling opening, apanel hinged to one end of said frame, a f

stair structure, a support for the upper portion of the stair structure on ture is slidable, said supportV having a pivotal movement with movement of the panel, means for supporting the stairway on the panel adjacent its free end,` said stair structure being slidable on said support and said'supporting means,

afspring-revvinding drum on .said support having a flexible element Wound thereon and extend- L ed and secured rto thestair structure, and spring' which the stair struc-V re-winding Adrurns,-one o'n each side'of the panel Y on said supporting means each having a flexible Y element Wound thereon and extended and secured to said frame. l l

FRANK E. BESSLER.

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